Meat-block structure



March 14 19% G. L. BURGER 1 9 MEAT-BLOCK STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 9, 1948 -7 9 INVENTOR.

Georg Zifiawer tended use.

Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEAT-BLOCK STRUCTURE George L. Burger, Chicago, 111.

Application December 9, 1948, Serial No. 64,341

1 Claim.

My invention relates generally to store fixtures and it more particularly concerns a meat-block structure I The meat-block customarily used heretofore i butcher shops comprises a block of wood of laminated sections and having supporting legs received in generally vertically disposed openings in the bottom surface of the block. Initially, the working surface of prior blocks is spaced above the floor at a desired fixed working height. 1

However, during use of the block, the working surface becomes rough and uneven and waste .matter finds its way into such surface to a considerable depth even though the block be made of very hard wood such as maple or the like.

- a substantial extent, for example two (2) inches,

to insure the desired sanitary surface. Accordingly, with each dressing operation the height of the working surface of the block is lowered approximately two (2) inches, and the block becomes increasingly inconvenient for its in-' In view of the relatively high replacement cost of such fixtures, many meat cutters or butchers prolong the use of their meatblock with great inconvenience to themselves or to their employees. In such prior blocks, the working surface may be dressed away to approximately the center of the block whereupon the block may be discarded. In certain instances, when the normal working part of the block has been used up, suitable leg openings have been drilled in the upper surface of the block, the legs have been removed from the bottom of the block, and the block inverted with the legs mounted in the openings in the upper side of the block. This not only provides an unsightly block but requires plugging of the former leg openings which are now at the top of the block, which, together with the drilling of the new leg openings, requires tedious and expensive operations to insure the proper, sanitary Working surface. Also, in certain instances, the working height of prior blocks has been maintained by adding extensions to the legs, but that is unsightly and tends toward an unsanitary condition. One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved meat-block structure wherein the prior difiiculties and inconveniences are eliminated.

Another object is to provide a meat-block which will have its work surface disposed a fixed distance above the fioor, irrespective of repeated dressings of the work surface of the block.

A further object is to provide an adjustable support for a reversible meat-block whereby the work surface of the block is maintained at substantially the same height in both normal and reversed conditions until the block is substantially completely worn out by surface dressing.

An additional object is to provide a meat-block structure of the foregoing character which is sanitary and has increased longevity.

A still further and more specific object is to provide a rectangularly-shaped, reversible meatblock with a supporting container of similar shape having shim elements therein to control the depth of entry of the block therein in either upright or reversed condition and a resilient seal element disposed between the side walls of the container and the side walls of the block to prevent the entry of meat particles, juices and other waste matter into the block container.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description progresses and byreference to the appended drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a meatblock structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged and partial vertical sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the meat-block resting on shim elements supported in the block container; and

3 is a perspective view of a shim element for the meat-block.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a butcher block made from hard wood such as high grade maple. I eliminate the use of supporting legs on the block per se. According to my invention, the block is supported by a metal container having metal legs integral therewith which support the container a fixed distance above the floor. The container is adapted to receive and support upon its bottom a variable number of height-maintaining support elements in stacked fashion. The upper and lower halves of the block are identical so that the block may 'be reversed. The lateral dimensions of the container are such that the block is not only telescopically and freely received therein but is spaced from each vertical side wall of the container an extent to allow the structure I0 (Fig. 1) includes a rectangularlythe block and container ll. prises a resilient seal element 21, formed prefera shaped metal container H having four supporting legs'l2 (one at each corner) permanently secured'to the underside thereof by any suitable means, for example, by welding. The container II is open at the top and has a depth somewhat less than the depth or thickness of the meatblock to be received therein. The bottom of the container H is cut-away to provide a rectangularly-shaped, shelf-like bottom wall 13 encircling the container and to provide a central opening l4 permitting communication of the atmosphere with the interior bottom portion of the container for well-known sanitary reasons. I

Th container II is adapted to receive a meatblock l5 which is formed of a plurality of pieces, of hard wood, for example maple, which are permanently held together by dowels or tie bolts I6 to form a substantially integral block. Block I6 is constructed in accordance with the customary dimensions for such block and is adapted 'to be freely received in the container H and to be spaced from each side wall of the container an extent to provide a space H encircling the vertical side walls of the block.

The meat-block I5 is supported in the con- "tainer ll with its top working surface It disposed at a convenient height above the floor and above the top of the container H. The block support is adjustable in character and, includes at least one shim element l9 preferably formed of wood with lateral dimensions approximating the lateral dimensions of the meat-block i5 so that it may.

be freely received in the container 5 i. The shim element 19 is further formed in the shape of a hollow square having an openin 20 therein for registration with the opening it in the bottom of the container.

Each shim l9 has a vertical dimension of approximately two inches, which dimension has been found to be the extent that the block i5 is usually dressed to restore the desired working surface after the block has been used for a considerable period of time. .It is understood that a two-inch dimension for the shim elements 19 are placed upon the bottom l3 of the container and the block is placed in the container l 1 upon the surface of the top shim I9. g

Means are provided to effectively seal the structure against entry of waste matter between This means comably of rubber. The seal element 2! (Fig. 2) takes'the shape of a continuous, rectangular band having a flat body portion 2m adapted to fit snugly between. the upper part of the container 1 I and the block 55 to provide a tight seal at that point. The seal element 2! is further provided at the top edge of its body portion 2h):- with an overhanging head portion 2) having an inner wall surface Zlc adapted toseat snugly against th block if: and an outer wall Zld extending downwardly and outwardly over and beyond the upper edge of the container H. This effectively prevents entry of waste matter from the block into the container.

The use and adjustment of my meat-block structure will now be described. When the structure is originally installed for use, it is, advisable to adjust the workingsurface of the appearing store fixture.

block l5 to the most convenient height for the user. For this reason, the height of the bottom Wall l3 from the floor plus the thickness of the block 15 in its original condition may be slightly less than what has been found to be an average, convenient height for meat-block structures. The height of the working surface [8 is then adjusted to suit the convenience of the user by placing the required number of shim elements 19 in the container H to bring the working surface to a suitable height. One such adjusted height is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein two shim elements l9 are shown in position in the container II to support the block l5 at the desired .height. It is understood that a block may be supported in the container without the use of a shim in the first instance and the block will rest on, the bottom surface I3 of the container with the working surface of the block projecting above the container top. However, after considerable use of the block, the working surface will become uneven and unsuitable for further use so as to require the regular dressing operation. To restore the usefulness of the structure, the top of the block 1-5 may be dressed away by any suitable tooluntil the desired sanitary Working surface, is again provided on the top of the block. Each dressing operation usually reduces the block in thickness by approximately two inches and will lower the working surface relative to the floorby the amount dressed from the block. The block is then restored to its previous height relative to the floor; simply by placing a shim element it in the container and under the block each time that the block is dressed. Eventually, with repeated dressings, the top surface of the block approaches the tie bar elements it to preclude further dressing of that side of the block. However, when this condition prevails, the block may be used further simply by removing it from the container l l and reversing it in the container so that what was previously its topsurface becomes the bottom or innermost surface located in the container and what previously was the bottom surface becomes the top or working surface, which surface may be repeatedly dressed as required until it approaches the tie bars l6. At this time, a new meat-block is substituted for the old block without change of the container. However, the old block is not discarded as it is especially useful as a slicing or cutting block commonly used in butcher shops. After each dressing operation, an additional shim element I9 is placed in the container so that the working surface of the block always remains at a constant height in respect to the floor andin the most convenientposition for the user of the structure.

Since the supporting legs I2 and the container 1 tare formed of metal, they provide maximum durabilityandlong life. The container may be pain-ted or enameled to provide outer surfaces which may be easily cleaned and present a neat It may be used over and over indefinitely, though the meat-block may be renewed. The working surface of the structure may easily be maintained at the proper height for most convenient use. The cost of meat blocks-is materially reduced, with increased sanitation. The resilient seal element 2! provides maximum sanitation and is easily removable to allow thorough internal cleaning of the structure, the addition of shim elements IE), or the reversal of the meat-block in the container.

I claim:

A meat-block structure comprising a. fabricated wood block of large thickness and uniform horizontal cross-section and with all surfaoesgif ree from substantial protuberances and indentations, an open topped, laterally closed, sulip rting container formed to receive said block -ftelescopically and readily reversibly end for end through its open top with small uniform spacing of the container side walls from the side faces of said block and with the uppermost end oisaid block projecting above the side walls of said container, a variable number of shims in the form of open frames of a horizontal section outwardly conforming to the horizontal cross-section of said block, said container having, below saidblock and shims, a flange extending inwardlyjf rom its side walls at least far enough to support said frame shims within said container at the' lower end thereof, whereby said block may beheld in said container, either end uppermost,,and with the uppermost end projecting above the sides of said container to an adjusted height determined by the number of said shims placed within the container beneath said block throughouta range equal to the usable thickness of said block, and a resilient sealin member encircling the block, said sealing member having a sliding sealing fit on the block and having a portion entering snugly between the block and the inner surface of the upper end portion of thelcontainer and having a lip portion overlying the upper end edge of the container to seal the upper end of the container in all vertically adjusted positions of the block within the container.

' GEORGE L. BURGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Date Number Name 95,914 Kohler et al Oct. 19, 1869 381,654 Stevens Apr. 24, 1888 775,068 Raymond Nov. 15, 1904 1,176,606 Schmitt Mar. 21, 1916 1,821,510 Hanson Sept. 1, 1931 1,987,761 Symons Jan. 15, 1935 2,116,705 Marx May 10, 1938 2,199,917 Janes May 7, 1940 2,381,104 Burnharn Aug. 7, 1945 2,440,629 Bennett Apr. 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 291,527 Germany Apr. 22, 1916 346,859 Germany Jan. 6, 1922 

